The Answers in the Alcohol
by boneslove14
Summary: In an Alternate Storyline-Season 10: Booth is gambling but Bones isn't pregnant with Hank. What happens when the Bones uses alcohol to deal with family issues? Can Booth make things right? Reviews welcomed
1. The Break in the Heart

I don't own any characters from Bones

This fanfic is set in an Alternate Storyline after Booth starts gambling (Season 10 Episode 15 'The Eye in the Sky' ) but Brennan isn't pregnant with Hank. Sweets is still gone. Booth has started gambling and his bookie Jason has come to the house while Booth was helping Arastoo overseas (Season 10 Episode 19 'The Murder in the Middle East'). Brennan has just kicked Booth out.

Chapter One- The Break in the Heart

"Angela do you think you could come over?" Brennan tearfully said into her phone.

She had just kicked her husband out of their house. She never could have imagined that her life could change so much in 24 hours.

"Sure honey, I'm on my way."

Angela could hear the pain in her best friend's voice. Brennan had told Angela about Booth's bookie coming to the house after Aubrey said he would look into him. Angela knew Brennan was confronting Booth tonight. The heartache she heard in her best friend's voice told her how that conversation had gone. Angela walked right into the house, armed with 2 bottles of wine. She found Brennan crying on the couch. She wrapped her friend in her arms. Brennan embraced her.

"Angela, telling him to leave was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I never thought Booth would hurt me like this." Brennan cried.

"I know sweetie. He relapsed. He needs to get back to meetings. He loves you so much. You know he'll get himself better." Angela reassured her.

"I thought I knew him. I thought me and Christine and Parker were enough to keep him from gambling. The actual gambling isn't even the biggest problem. The fact that he just stood in this room and lied to my face is the problem. For years he told me partners had to be honest with each other. That we had to trust each other to protect each other and he's always made me feel safe. I have never felt as safe and secure as I do with him. That was until his bookie showed up and threatened me and Christine. He put us in danger over gambling. Gambling! And when I gave him the chance to come clean, he lied and tried to make excuses. Angela what am I going to do? I feel like my whole life, this life I built with Booth is falling apart."

"Here, drink this." Angela handed Brennan a full glass of wine. "It will help, I promise."

Brennan was willing to try anything to make herself feel better. Although logically she knew her heart couldn't actually break, she felt like it was broken. She hadn't felt this sad and hurt since she had told Booth she didn't want to miss her chance of being with him years ago. At the time, he turned her down because he was with Hannah and she had felt like her heart had been crushed emotionally. But now definitely felt worse.

"Okay."

Brennan took the glass and drank. She kept drinking until it was empty and held out the glass for Angela to fill it again. Since Christine was with Max, Brennan didn't see the harm in having copious amount of alcohol. It seemed to be dimming the pain she felt. Angela had rarely seen her friend drink this much but she understood her need to numb the pain. There was a time she thought her friend would end up alone and she was really proud of Brennan for opening her heart up to Booth. Brennan deserved a happy ending with Booth and their daughter after the childhood she went through. Angela was so mad at Booth, not for his relapse but for lying to Brennan. He had to know she would support him. The bookie's threats were the last straw for her friend and she understood why she kicked Booth out. He needed to realize what a huge mistake he made and he needed to get himself to some meetings.

A couple hours later both bottles were gone and Angela hadn't had a single drop. Brennan was drunk though. Angela helped her staggering friend get to her bed and tucked her in.

"Things will be better tomorrow sweetie."

"You-you ccan't know that Anggellalalala." Brennan slurred.

"Just sleep now."

Brennan rolled over and started snoring almost immediately. Angela stepped back into the living room to call Hodgins.

"I don't know if I should leave Hodgins. I've never seen her this drunk. She's kind of a mess."

"Dr.B? I don't believe it. Is she okay?"

"She's just dealing with a lot."

Angela had told Hodgins that she needed to go see Brennan but she hadn't told him about Booth's gambling. She didn't think it was her place unless it affected work or if Brennan told her it was okay to tell.

"Well Michael Vincent has woken up twice and asked for you. I tried to tell him you would see him in the morning but I think I hear him awake in his room still."

"Oh my poor baby boy. I don't think Brennan will be getting up anytime soon. I guess I could come home and just come back here in the morning to check on her."

"Is that mommy?" Angela heard her son on the phone.

"Yes baby, mommy's on her way home now. Go back to bed and I'll come see you when I get there."

Angela left a glass of water and some Advil on Brennan's nightstand and a note saying to call her in the morning. She locked Brennan's door as she left.


	2. The Bottom of the Bottle

I don't own any part or characters of Bones

Chapter Two- The Bottom of the Bottle

As the day started and the sunlight crept in through the window, Brennan rolled over and was hit with a wave of nausea and pounding in her skull. _A hangover, great_ she thought. She reached for the pills and water on her nightstand, _thank you Angela_. How much had she drunk last night? She remembered finishing the first bottle and hazily remembered maybe finishing a second bottle. Ever since Christine was born, she hadn't drunk more than 2 glasses in a sitting. As rough as she felt right now, she missed the numbness the wine brought. Now in addition to feeling sad and miserable she had a headache from dehydration.

She couldn't bring herself to face work today. It was Friday, she would take the weekend to get herself together and then Monday she would return to her professional self. She was normally so good as compartmentalizing, but Booth was her rock. Rocks are supposed to be stable and he had always made her feel safe. But now he was lying to her face and putting their daughter in danger. Her whole world was turned upside down and she felt like she did when she was 15 and her parents left her. Technically, this time she was the one who made Booth left, but she felt like he had left them symbolically when he chose to gamble and lie.

She texted Cam, saying she was sick and wouldn't be coming in. Then she texted Max and asked him to keep Christine until Sunday. He was happy and excited to get extra time with his granddaughter. Brennan was happy to have some time to herself to wallow in her emotions. Before Booth she was not a very emotional person, but he made her feel things and he made her open her heart to him. And then he broke it.

The Advil was making her headache better but her brain was making her heart worse. She needed to feel numb again like last night. She had a theory that more alcohol would make her feel better. She made her way to the bar in the living room to test her hypothesis. Booth's Aged Whiskey that he was saving for when the Flyer's won the Stanley Cup seemed like a good choice. She knew it would piss him off and usually she wasn't a vindictive person but she didn't feel like herself at the moment. She felt like a new person that didn't care about anyone else at the moment. She broke the seal on the bottle and poured herself a shot. She drank it quick, it was smooth, Booth had picked a very nice bottle. She poured another and then another. Brennan drank the rest of the morning away and kept drinking into the afternoon.

Hours had passed, Brennan had the stereo blasting when she thought she heard a knock. She tried to make it to the door but stumbled and fell. The front door opened. Brennan tried to stand but fell again, this time laughing as she fell. She laughed and laughed as someone tried to grab her arm. This person tried to help her stand but she couldn't stop laughing. The laughter slowly turned to tears. Brennan couldn't control it, a second ago she was laughing and now hot tears streamed down her face and she howled with sobs. She couldn't breathe. She finally looked at the face of the person next to her. His face was worried and pained. He was trying to embrace her. He was saying something to her but she couldn't understand. She slapped his hands away. She didn't need his help. It was his fault, all of this pain she felt. He made her love him. He should have let her be alone.

B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B

"Where's Bones?" Booth asked Cam.

He was standing in the doorway of her office. She noticed he was wearing the same thing he had on when they flew home from Iran.

"Shouldn't you know where your wife is Seeley? Why do you look like you haven't slept?"

"I came to talk to her and she's not in her office."

Booth ignored Cam's questions. He had been trying to call and text Bones since she kicked him out last night. He couldn't believe how fast everything had happened. She had asked him to be honest and he lied to her. Now he knew that she knew he was lying. She knew everything. He had risked their family to gamble. He risked losing the love of his life. He had put his family in danger with Jason threatening them. He wanted to kill Jason, but he was the one that started gambling again. And when Bones gave him the chance to come clean, he had lied. He wasn't ready to admit he was losing control again. The look on her face when he lied and the pain in her voice as she told him to leave their home had broken him. He left their house and went straight to a meeting. He went to another meeting this morning and got set up with a new sponsor. He had come to see Bones in person as soon as he could. He would make this right with Bones. He would get her trust back, but first he needed to talk to her.

"She said she was sick and wouldn't be in until Monday. What's going on?"

"Nothing Cam."

Booth walked away, he didn't have time to get into details with Cam. Bones never took days off and she hadn't been sick last night. Booth realized the situation was even more serious than he thought. Bones always prided herself on being able to compartmentalize professional and personal but this morning she didn't come to work. He knew he needed to go home and check on her. She probably wouldn't even open the door but he had to try. Booth walked in the parking garage and was almost to his car when he saw Angela walking toward him. _Great, I guess Bones told her._

"Booth how's Brennan?"

"She's not here. I'm going home to check on her now." Booth was surprised Angela didn't know Bones had called off.

"I'm not surprised she didn't come in. I was with her last night and I bet she has a pretty killer hangover this morning."

"Hangover? Bones doesn't drink more than 2 glasses."

"Booth she drank 2 bottles of wine last night. I've never seen her so sad."

Booth's heart sank. He thought he had seen how hurt Bones was before she made him leave but apparently it got worse. He needed to see her right now.

"I need to go check on her. Thanks for being there for her when I couldn't be."

"Booth nobody is perfect. Just go make things right with our girl okay."

Booth raced to their house. He looked at the clock, 1:30, and hoped that her hangover was better by now. When he got to the door he hesitated. It was his house, their home, but last night Bones made it clear he wasn't welcome. He decided to knock. He knocked twice, three times. He pounded the door. He could hear the stereo blasting, way louder than Bones would have it. He started to worry and decided to just go in. He opened the door and saw Bones on the floor. He rushed over to her, worried she was hurt. She was laughing. Then he smelled the whiskey on her breath. He looked up at their bar and saw the nearly empty bottle. A bottle he knew she had just opened today. He couldn't believe how drunk she was, he had never seen his partner like this. He tried to help her stand but she wouldn't let him. She slapped at his hands.

"Bones it's me. Let me help you up."

She looked at him for the first time since he came into the house and her laughs turned into sobs. It sounded like a wounded animal. Booth gasped at the unnatural noise coming from his wife. He tried to wrap his arms around her. He needed to comfort her. He needed to make this better.  
He was able to get her to the couch. Her eyes were bloodshot and red from crying. She reeked of alcohol. In the chaos happening since he got home from Iran, he hadn't seen their daughter yet. Bones said last night that Max had her but now she would need picked up from Preschool soon.

"Bones, I need to go get Christine. Why don't you go lay down."

"Yyyou don't n-need to do anything for us. Max has her until Sunday. You jjust need to leave me alone." Bones pushed at Booth.

"Please let me apologize. I know I lied to you last night and I know I've been lying. I went to a meeting as soon as I left last night. I'm so sorry about Jason coming here. I will keep going to meetings every day I promise."

"Your promises are pfffttt" Bones stuck her tongue out.

How had Booth gotten in. One minute she was on the floor and the next he was here. He wasn't supposed to be here. She wiped the tears from her face and tried to stand. She fell back into the couch.

"Whoa, easy Bones. Just stay here on the couch."

"Stop! I'm not your respons-responsibility anymore. You made me love you and then you..." Bones couldn't remember what she was saying. She felt like her eyelids weighed 10 pounds each. She needed to lay down.

Although her words hurt, Booth knew she didn't mean them. She was drunker than he knew she could get. He pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and covered her up. She fell asleep fast. He wanted to stick around and make sure she was okay. He walked over to the bar and looked at the bottle that had caused the damage. He realized it was the special bottle he had been saving. He wasn't even a little mad, he deserved much worse for what he put Bones through. He was surprised because this was not the woman he loved. She never drank this much, she never missed work, she rarely let Christine stay away for one night let alone a whole weekend and she would never do something to purposely hurt someone like drinking his special bottle. The damage he had caused to her heart was worse than he imagined. He knew she was hurt when he lied but he hadn't realized how hurt. She was unraveling. She had told him that he made her feel like she finally had stability. He felt pride in her words. After all of these years, she fully gave herself, heart and soul to him. And he messed everything up.

Booth gathered all the alcohol behind the bar and the wine from the fridge and hid it in the garage behind some boxes. He didn't think Bones needed to be drinking anymore right now. Next, he showered and shaved and got dressed. He hadn't slept much since getting home from Iran but he didn't think he could nap, so he tidied up the house and did some laundry instead. He was trying to make up for everything while Bones slept on the couch. He called Max and asked to talk to Christine. He told his daughter he missed her and that he was happy she was having fun with Grandpa. He told her mommy was working but she would call her before she went to bed. It was almost 5 at this point and Booth needed to leave for a meeting. He kissed Bones forehead as she was still sleeping on the couch.

"I'll check on you later Bones. I love you." 


	3. The Roxie in the Wife

I don't own any characters of Bones

Chapter Three- The Roxie in the Wife

Bones felt drool on the side of her face as she woke up on the couch. She slowly sat up. She tried to remember what she was doing. She looked at her watch and couldn't believe with was almost 7. The memories of her afternoon started to come back. She had drunk a bottle of whiskey, her poor liver she thought, and at some point, Booth had come. She walked to her bedroom and she could tell he had cleaned up the house. Fresh laundry was sitting folded in a basket on their bedroom floor. All the chores in the world wouldn't make up for his lies. Bones felt angry at Booth. More angry than sad which was a change. She decided to shower hoping it would make her feel better. She still felt a little buzzed from the whiskey.

After her shower she decided to pour herself another drink. Spending the last 24 hours mostly inebriated helped numb the pain her heart felt. When she was drinking it was easier to push away thoughts of Booth and his betrayal. She knew she only had 48 hours to get herself together for Christine. She would be strong for her little girl, no matter what was happening with Booth. But for now, with Christine safely away with Max, Bones let herself indulge and grieve. She got a glass from the shelf and decided to finish the whiskey from earlier, only she couldn't find it. She couldn't find any alcohol. She went to the fridge and the wine was gone too. That bastard! Booth must have gotten rid of all the bottles while she slept. She knew he didn't like seeing her so drunk. Well too bad! She didn't like dangerous men coming to the house to threaten her life and her child's life but she had to deal with it. Now she was furious. If Booth didn't want her drinking at home then she would just have to go out.

Bones ordered a pick up from a car service for 8:00 and went back to her room to get ready. If she was going out for a night on the town she might as well dress the part. She went to her closet and pulled out a black dress. She hadn't worn it since pretending to be Roxie in Vegas with Booth many years ago. It wasn't her taste, too revealing, but it seemed a perfect dress for tonight. She quickly curled her hair and put on some make-up. Her usual make up look was natural with tans and browns, but she went with a more Roxie-appropriate look of red lips and thick mascara. She looked in the mirror and she had transformed herself into Roxie. She wondered what Roxie would do if Tony lied to her and broke her heart. Roxie wouldn't sit around crying, she was tough. She would do what made her happy. Happiness seemed impossible for Bones at the moment so she would settle for numb. Her ride was waiting outside so she quickly slipped on her spiky black heels, grabbed her clutch that had her I.D. and phone and locked the door as she left.

B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B

Booth drove home after his meeting, hoping the food on his passenger seat would make Bones feel better. He had had his share of hangovers, more than Bones, so he hoped to help her feel better if she would let him. He was coming down their street about to pull into their driveway when he saw it; a black towne car in front of his house. Then he saw a beautiful woman in a tight black dress get in the back seat. Booth couldn't believe his eyes. The woman was Bones. What in the hell was Bones doing? Booth didn't have much time to react as the black car drove away. He followed it.  
Was that really Bones, dressed looking like Roxie of all people, getting into a strange car. Where the hell was she going? Booth didn't understand why Bones was acting so crazy. He knew gambling and lying to her was a big deal and that he really hurt her. But this was ridiculous, she was not herself. Bones didn't dress like that unless they were undercover. She certainly wouldn't go out like that without him. He followed the car all the way downtown where it pulled over in front of a club. He watched Bones step out and head toward the doors. The bouncer gave Bones the up-down and waved her in with a smile. Booth was getting pissed off and he wanted to punch the bouncer for looking at her like that. He hadn't seen the heels she was wearing or her red lips until now. She didn't look like his wife and she sure as hell wasn't acting like his Bones.

Booth found a parking space and made his way to the door. With Bones looking the way she did and drinking the way she was, he wanted to stick close and make sure she was safe. He had to pay the bouncer $50 to let him in. Once inside he found a dark corner by the bar where he could see Bones without her seeing him. If this is what she needed to do to feel better than he wouldn't interfere. He would just be close by to make sure she was okay.


	4. The Punch in the Face

I don't own anything from Bones

Chapter Four- The Punch in the Face

Bones needed a drink, her residual buzz was all but gone. She walked up to the bar and ordered a shot. She felt someone standing too close to her, felt his eyes on her body. She looked at the stranger and smiled. He lifted his gaze from her cleavage to smile back at her.

"Let me get that drink for you sweetheart. Make that two shots Roy." His voice was deep and confident. His teeth were too white, artificial and his hair was too gelled. But a free drink was a free drink and Bones was happy to accept his company.

"Why thank you."

"You are incredibly beautiful. Are you hear alone...?" He waited for her name.

"I'm Temperance, and yes I needed a night out by myself."

"Well Temperance, I'm Mike. I'm going to make sure you have the night of your life."

He smiled his artificial smile and raised his shot glass. She took her shot and he bought them four more. She drank two shots and happily accepted a fifth. Finally, the haziness she was after was back. The clear-headed heartache was dimming.

"Whoa Temperance, you can really knock them back. Let's do a couple more shots and then I'll show you a good time on the dance floor."

Mike ordered four more shots. He handed Bones one after another, not taking any himself. Then he slid his arm around her waist and pulled her to the dance floor. The music was loud and the bass made the speakers shake. Bones felt fuzzy after those last shots. Everything had a blurry frame around it and she wanted to close her eyes. She felt Mike's hands on her hips as he swayed her to the music. She didn't like his touch, it was wrong. His hands were sweaty and bony. She longed for the warm, calloused hands of her husband. Booth's touch never felt wrong. Bones wanted to tell this stranger to let go of her but she was having a hard time getting the words to come out. She tried to push away from Mike but her actions were misread by him. He thought she was getting frisky. Mike lowered his hands to her ass and leaned in his head to kiss her. Before his lips could meet hers, his head moved violently to the side. He was no longer touching her and Bones was free.

"Bones, we're leaving."

She recognized his voice and accepted his hand. She liked this touch, it was warm and strong and she would never let this hand go. She let Booth lead her outside and into his car.

B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B

The hardest thing for Booth to do was to sit idly by while he watched his wife smile at another man. Watching this guy buy his wife drinks and ogle her was almost too much. He wanted to knock this guy's block off but he waited. If all this guy did was buy her a few drinks then he could live with that. He watched in anguish as Bones flirted with Mike, he heard the bartender call the stranger by name, and took way too many shots. Booth couldn't sit back any longer when he saw Mike's hands on Bones, on his wife. Booth got up and started walking toward Bones but when she went onto the dance floor he couldn't keep up. People were dancing and he couldn't get past them. He lost sight of her. Now he was desperate. The whole point of him being there, watching Bones, was to keep her safe and now she was extremely drunk and with a stranger. Booth had seen the lust in Mike's eyes. He pushed his away around people until he saw them. He was still too far from where they were but he could see Bones now. He could see her feeble attempt to push Mike away. For a second that made Booth happy, that even when she was drunk and mad at Booth, she still didn't want anyone else. That happiness turned into fury as Booth watched Mike's hands slide down to Bones' ass and saw his lips heading for hers. Booth made it to them in seconds and landed a punch right in Mike's face.

"What the hell?"

Mike was caught off guard. He rubbed his face where the punch had landed. He looked at Booth as he grabbed Bones' hand.

"You're lucky that's all you're getting." Booth barked in Mike's direction. He was already walking Bones to the door.

Mike decided to cut his losses and let Temperance go with this aggressive man. He went to the bar and used the incident for sympathy to get the girl sitting next to him.

B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B

"Booth, you're here! I love you so much. I love your hands and your smile isn't fake." Bones slurred as Booth fastened her seatbelt.

He was shaking as he walked around to the driver's side. He was furious. He should go back in and beat the shit out of that guy for touching her at all. But one look at Bones slumping in the front seat, he knew he needed to get her home.

Booth turned the radio on as he drove home. He was still trying to calm himself down.

"You know what's funny? I think Roxie is sluttier than me." Bones said and she started laughing.

Booth didn't find this funny. It just made him angrier about what happened tonight. What if he hadn't been there watching her. Bones would never cheat on him but she wasn't acting like herself right now. He couldn't 100% predict what this new person sitting next to him would do.

"Why don't we just be quiet right now Bones."

He didn't want to hear any more drunk revelations, he didn't know how much more he could handle.

"Wait...are you _mad at me_?! Are you serious Seeley? That's ri-ridiculous. This is all your fault."

Hearing her call him Seeley in anger was disorienting. She only ever used his first name when they were being passionate, never in fights.

"It's my fault you're out getting drunk with strange men? Is that what you're saying? I know I messed up but this ring means something to me. Us fighting or not, me at home or not this ring means I am committed to you and only you. Is that what it means to you?"

Booth didn't want to fight with her while she was drunk, they both could say things they can't take back, but he couldn't keep It bottled up anymore.

"I would never have done anything with Mike. I love you! I want you! But you broke my heart!"

Booth winced at her shouts, she never raised her voice to him.

"I'm just trying to deal with the pain you've caused. Drinking seems to help so that's what I'm doing. I'm just trying to make it to the next day. It feels like you've ripped my heart out."

Booth gripped the wheel as her biting words sunk in. She was right. He made this situation. It wasn't up to him how she made herself feel better. But he couldn't live apart from her if this is what she was going to do. He couldn't survive knowing nights like this could happen without him being there to save her.

Bones closed her eyes the rest of the ride and neither of them talked. Booth offered her his arm to walk up the drive into the house but she pushed it away. She unsteadily made it inside. She went straight to bed and crawled under the covers. Booth didn't know whether or not to follow her. The exhaustion was catching up to him. He didn't care at the moment whether she wanted him there or not. He kicked off his shoes and got into bed fully dressed. He waited for her to yell or push him off the bed but then he heard her light snores. She must have been out the second her head hit the pillow. He looked at his sleeping wife, her make-up was smudged, her hair was a mess. She was still the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He loved her so much and he couldn't stop himself from kissing her forehead. He fell asleep looking at her face and hoped he things would be better in the morning.


	5. The Forgiveness in the Covers

I don't own any characters from Bones

Chapter Five- The Forgiveness in the Covers

Bones woke up with an even worse pounding in her head than the day before. She knew she had to stop drinking for a while. Her poor liver needed to detox. She opened her eyes expecting to be alone but there was Booth, asleep. She studied his face, creased with stress even in sleep. She remembered the events of last night with horror. The alcohol, the guy Matt or Mark something like that, Booth punching the guy, and their fight in the car. The anger she felt since the day Jason came to the door had all but disappeared. Her selfish days of drinking had somehow made her anger vanish. She knew she had hurt Booth. She knew he would get his gambling under control and she realized it must be killing him that his actions had gotten his wife and daughter threatened. Booth was a good man and he would do anything to make it right. She knew this all along but the betrayal she felt had clouded her feelings. She was ready now to support his sobriety. Ready right after she threw up.

Bones threw the blankets off as she ran to the bathroom. She made it to the toilet in time to get up all the drinks from last night. Suddenly he was there, holding her hair and rubbing her back. It seemed like it would never stop. In between bouts she would get a couple seconds to catch her breath. Booth got her a glass of water and a cool cloth during the breaks. After a while she felt sure there was nothing left to come up and she let Booth help her back into bed. He brought her the trash can and set it on the floor just in case. He sat next to her in bed, keeping a cautious distance. Neither of them had said a word for a while. Bones decided to be the brave one.

"Booth, I'm so sorry."

"Bones, no I'm sorry."

Bones took Booth's hand and he smiled at her and squeezed her hand.

"I can't explain my actions these past couple days. I just needed to do something irrational, I guess. I was trying to block thoughts of you with alcohol. It only partially worked and it was not worth it. I am done drinking for a long time." The mention of drinking made her dry heave a bit.

"Bones if I had been honest with you the night I came home, none of this would have happened. I could tell that night that you knew and I lied anyway."

"I was ready to forgive you that night and move on. I just wanted to support you. When you lied something switched in me and I was so angry."

"I know. I'm really sorry Bones. I've already been to a couple meetings. I have a new sponsor. I promise you that I will keep working on this. I promise I will never let you down like this again."

"You can't promise that."

"Yes I can Bones. I got a glimpse of what can happen if I break your trust. I will never do that again. I love you too much."

"I love you too Booth. I can't believe how I behaved last night. I'm so sorry."

"Let's just forget last night ever happened okay."

Booth looked at his bruised knuckles. Bones kissed his battered hand.

They spent the rest of the day in bed, Booth only leaving to get them food. They watched T.V. and napped and talked. It had been a long time since they got a whole day to do nothing together. Booth loved the feel of Bones' warm body tucked under his arm. Bones loved the way Booth stroked her hair as they cuddled. She knew things weren't perfect right now, but being here with him made her feel better. She knew it was irrational, but somehow, she knew they would be okay. Booth couldn't believe how things had changed. Spending the day with Bones' in his arms made him feel like he could finally breath after feeling like he had been holding his breath for two days.

As day turned to night, he wasn't sure what to do. They had spent a wonderful day together but technically Bones had kicked him out. He didn't want to disrupt their newfound peace.

"Bones, I've really loved being with you today but I understand if you don't want me to stay tonight. I don't want you to think I don't respect your boundaries."

Booth looked at Bones, hoping to read her mind. He was hoping she would tell him to stay. Bones could see the love in his eyes as he waited for her to answer.

"I want you to stay, I really do. I just don't know what will motivate you to keep going to meetings if you're here."

"I know I won't get a second chance. That is all the motivation I need. I will not lose you. I will not lose our family. I love you."

"Then show me."

Bones pulled Booth to her. She kissed his soft lips and he pulled her closer to his chest. He gently laid her back against the bed and kissed her neck. Bones moaned softly as Booth kissed her. She pulled away just long enough to pull her shirt over her head. Booth took his shirt off and returned his mouth to hers. They spent the next couple hours passionately reconnecting before falling asleep in each other's arms. When Booth woke up in the morning next to his love, he couldn't believe his luck. He had made such a mess, risked everything that made his life worthwhile. He vowed to protect his family, especially their hearts. He would never hurt Bones like this again.

Bones woke up to Booth smiling at her.

"Morning."

"Good morning honey." Booth kissed her. "Max texted, he's on the way with our girl. I've missed her so much."

"I'm sure she's excited to see you. We better put some clothes on." Bones blushed thinking of last night.

Booth chuckled at her red cheeks and kissed her again before getting up to get dressed. They were in the kitchen starting breakfast when Max opened the door and Christine came running toward her daddy.

"Daddy! I missed you!" She sang as Booth scooped her into his arms.

He twirled her around the kitchen as she planted sloppy kisses on his cheek. Bones went to thank her dad for watching his granddaughter. Max stayed by the door, ready to leave.

"Thanks for keeping her Dad."

"I was glad to. She's so full of life. She makes me feel young." Max chuckled.

Max hugged his daughter and said quietly so only she could hear, "I hope you got the time you needed. I know something is going on and you don't have to tell me what it is. Just let me know if I can help."

Bones hugged her dad tighter. "Thanks dad, things are better now. Everything is going to be okay."

Max smiled at his daughter and decided not to push for details. He waved to Booth and Christine and left. Bones walked back to the kitchen so she could ask a very important question.

"Christine would you like pancakes or waffles for breakfast?"

"Waffles!" Christine and Booth yelled at the same time.

Bones smiled at her family and grabbed the whisk to start breakfast.

The End


End file.
